The Past and the Future of Maximum Ride
by WritersHeart16
Summary: Max relives her past through her memories and is living in her future, or our present. She switches back and forth between thirteen year old Max with her family and what her life was like right after Jeb left- to her life now with Fang gone and Dylan taking his place in the flock.
1. Chapter 1 The Past and the Future

The Past and the Future- The Past and the Future of Maximum Ride

Chapter One

With Max not knowing where she came from was entirely differently from not WANTING to know where she came from. Sometimes she wishes she never knew why she had wings, why she lived with Jeb and why he wasn't her real dad… Why she had so many siblings and only two really looked alike… Max had so many questions that were never answered and never will be answered. Well come on, she's only thirteen for Pete's sake.

Nothing was perfect when she was thirteen, having to deal with Fang always creeping up on her and the family, Iggy complaining yet again about who moved the furniture yet she always knew it was The Gasman. Then again Angel always could tell Max when her older brother was lying.

Yeah, they're the only two related in our little rag tag group of seven: Jeb the father figure, Max the fearless leader, Fang the mysterious dark rebel, Iggy the blind chef and expert flyer, Nudge the fashion obsessed and creative child, The Gasman- well his name speaks for itself. Max agrees that he really needs to get that checked by a doctor someday…. But last but not least the baby, Angel who was special to Max's heart. She was the rock to Max's sanity besides Fang- but you all know that comes later on…

"Max. Max, Max, MAX!"

"Not now Nudge…." Max moaned and turned over in her bed. One of the downfalls of sharing a room with that pesky crazy kid- up at all hours and then waking up earlier than Max most days.

"But Max…." she whined and Max rolled over.

"Yes Nudge?" she asked and opened her eyes- adjusting to The Gasman staring at her with his big blue eyes. "Gazzy- really, this early?" she asked and looked at her clock.

"Yes this early… It's an- emergency!" he whispered and she slowly sat up, rolling her eyes to see Nudge actually sleeping like a rock in her own bed. The only way she could tell she was still alive was by the occasional little snore that slipped out of her mouth. How cute.

"What kind of emergency Gaz? What did you blow up this time?" she asked and he pointed to the den just as Iggy walked in.

"That was crazy. Max you should've been there! Gazzy just dropped it off the back balcony and KABOOM!" He narrated for her and that's when her nose got hit with the scent of smoke and burning wood.

"You two are so dead." She grumbled and got out of bed, slipping on her slippers and walking down the hall to see Fang and Jeb standing outside assessing the damage.

"Gasman, Iggy. Come down here please." He instructed and they both looked so ashamed.

"Coming…." Gazzy mumbled and stood on the railing of the balcony and helped Iggy climb up, then just jumped off and what a sight of his little wings carrying him down the side of the ravine. He was in so much trouble.

**_He is absolutely toasted…_** Max thought and rolled her eyes.

"Rolling your eyes at them or at me?" Fang asked and she jumped.

"Fang! What the heck!" she said and smacked his arm. "Not funny. It's too early for your jokes…" she groaned and walked back inside to the fridge and got the orange juice out.

"Have you ever wondered how Jeb gets all this food yet we live so far from civilization?" Fang asked and Max looked at him.

"No… Why bring it up?" she asked and he chuckled.

"No reason- it just sort of popped into my head today." He shrugged and she drank most of the bottle then put it back.

"Just utterly disgusting Max; at least use a bowl or something." She heard and started to smile a bit.

"Well good morning to you to Nudge." She sighed and patted that lovely caramel bed head hair.

"Don't touch the hair. I plan on doing something new with it today." She announced and Fang exchanged a look between "oh boy" and "should we go run and hide" to Max. "Hey I saw that!" she instantly snapped and sighed. "I'm going to bleach parts of it to give myself home mad highlights!" she announced- yet again.

"But Nudge, why do you have to use bleach?" Max said and shook her head. "I don't know, what Jeb would think?" she asked and Fang nodded in agreement with her.

"I just don't think it's a very good-"

"I can do it to you too Fang! That jet black hair with a little color…" she offered and Fang's face got paler than usual- and he's a pale, pale boy without the sun for a while.

"No thank you." He said instantly and walked out of the room.

"Max…." she offered and Max looked at her.

"I don't know Nudge… How about I see how it comes out on your head first and I'll think about it oaky?" she offered and Nudged just shrugged it off.

"Yeah, yeah be that way Max…" she sighed exasperated and walked out of the room, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

"Is she upset?" Jeb asked wiping soot off his glasses onto his dress shirt sleeve and looked at Max.

"A little bit." She sighed and looked at him. "I think you need to change now." She laughed a little and he chuckled.

"I think I do too kiddo... I have a job interview in a few hours and I need to freshen up then head into town. You and Fang watch over the gang alright?" he asked and Max nodded, smiling at him a little.

"Deal Jeb, you can count on us." She grinned and he ruffled her hair.

"That's my girl." He smiled, like a loving father would smile and walked to the other open bathroom to behind freshen up.


	2. Chapter2 The Beginning to a Bleak Future

Chapter Two

"The more I live like this the more I just want to get out of here!" Max groaned and Nudge sighed.

"Max, you know we can't leave. I love hanging out with your mom and Ella! Plus we just need a break after saving the world." She noted and Max stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Break? Did you just say break? I can't handle a BREAK Nudge- Angel is still out there without me and I need to go find her!" Max shouted and Nudge cringed back a little bit.

"Max please go easy on her-" Dylan started to say.

"Shut up Dylan." She snapped. "My baby is out there. Still. It's been weeks and we haven't found her!" she noted stomping her foot on the ground kicking up a cloud of dust. The rest of the flock looked at her and she looked at each of them in return, lingering on Dylan the most. "What would you do if you lost me?" she asked and he looked at her dead on.

_**She really played the old heartstrings card didn't she?**_ He thought and sighed heavily. "I'd do everything and anything in my power to go looking for you." He admitted and she smirked a little bit.

"Exactly- so why are we still here after two weeks? I do love my mom and Ella I do- but we need to find her." She said, her voice getting caught in her throat a little bit.

"Come on guys. Dylan and Max can sort this one out on their own." Iggy said, taking charge at the third- second eldest in the flock. Max still counted Dylan as a baby since he was the newest to join the ragtag crew.

"But Iggy…" Gazzy said sniffling and Iggy took his hand.

"How about we go get some stuff from the kitchen and go blow something up in some random forest eh?" Iggy asked and everyone was a little shocked at this. Iggy never was this sweet, it even shocked Max. Maybe it was because Angle was Gazzy's little sister and growing up he had become so protective of her; just maybe… But Iggy's tone of voice and the expression on his face, even in his ice blue eyes. We all knew they could see nothing but this time to Max at least- it looked like they could really see Gazzy in the despair that he was in over this.

But Gazzy looked up at him and sniffled, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Alright." He said softly and took Gazzy's arm, leading him back into the house and to the kitchen and naming off all the chemicals Dr. Martinez had underneath her sink.

"It's nice of Ig but I really have a bad feeling about this." Dylan commented and Max looked at him, her own eyes grave like Gazzy's.

"You have a bad feeling- I think mine if worse. I've seen what they can do with just a potato, some wire and a clock." She sighed and a tiny half smile crept up onto her lips but vanished just as fast. "What are we going to do if we…" Max just couldn't say _…if we don't find her… _out loud. It was too hard too soon.

"We'll find her Max. I promise you that." Dylan said softly, touching her arm and she jerked away.

"I'm tired or people making false promises to me. Fang promised he'd always be there and he's not. Jeb promised he'd always love us and protect us, and he was back with The School and now he's working with Dr. God. I just want people to stop making promises I know that can actually keep." I said and walked further away from the house and further away from Dylan- needing her Max time alone right now.

"She'll some around to get that you're really trying to help her." Nudge said softly and Dylan looked up from the ground.

"I really hope so Nudge." He said and sighed, looking in Max's direction to see her unfurl her wings and kick off into the sunset. "I should go after her, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." He stated and started to follow, unfurling his own wings and Nudge grabbed his arm.

"Let her be Dylan. She's like- a loner when she's like this. Sure we miss her when she doesn't come back for a few days but we have Ella and Dr. Martinez for the time being. And Max will come back on her own terms." She explained to him and smiled a bit, her teeth a dazzling white against her caramel skin.

"I don't know Nudge…" he said hesitantly and she let go, crossing her arms and cocking a hip at him.

"Listen Dylan, we- the rest of the flock- counts you as family already. Max on the other hand still sees you as a threat, an um… Computerized clone made to take the place of Fang because it's his uh, uh uh… What do you call it? Oh yeah- destiny. It's his destiny to make his own flock, or well that's what Angel said." She shrugged and looked at him through her mop of messy curls. "Just give her space or she'll punch your nose again." She smiled a little bit again. "Now if you don't mind, I have Project Runway waiting for me on the TV, so bye!" she said and skipped off, her sunny disposition leaving a bit of a bright spot on Dylan.

"Maybe Max will be alright with time…" he sighed and kicked off anyways, just flying in the opposite direction.


	3. Chapter 3 The Colorado Cave

Chapter Three

"Iggy- no... Come on I said no!" Nudge said and backed away from them and the super soaker gun they had somehow used with a few leftover cartons, rubber bands and tons of saran wrap. "Max!" she called and no one decided to answer. "Dylan?" she called and ran outside, not even waiting to see if he had come back yet. They were both still out? It was almost dark outside- where were they?

"Dylan. You should get by now that I like being alone when I'm upset." Max stated without turning around as she sat with her back facing the sunset and her face towards the back of the cave. "How did you get here, only the flock knows about this place… _**The flock and Fang… **_She added in her head.

"I secretly followed you. Fang wasn't the only one who could follow someone silently for miles." He chuckled and she cringed. "Sorry- sorry sour nerve. I didn't mean to-"

"What are you really doing here Dylan?" she asked and turned around, her eyes red and puffy as she rolled her shoulders, shaking her wings out a little bit. He could tell this was a major bow, even for the invincible Maximum Cecelia Ride. Right after the Angel incident she gave herself a middle name, after a bear that she said Angel had at one time. Or well, acquired through mind control according to Nudge…

"I'm here to check on you Max. Make sure you're really alright. And you know I won't listen if you tell me to stay away… Like that time you punched my nose because I followed you." He reminded her and she chuckled a little bit.

"I punched you because you followed me- and you kissed me Dylan. You don't kiss people out of the blue… I even gave you a warning!" she said, the tiniest hint of a smile playing on the corners of her lips.

"And did you even think that for a moment I'd actually listen to that warning?" he tested her and she sighed, rolling her eyes and wiping them on her sleeve.

"No, because I know you Dylan… I know that you're-"

"That I'm programmed to always know what's wrong with you and make it all better? Yeah. I know. You always bring it up." He replied with a bit of regret in his eyes. _**These are the days I wish the original Dylan was still alive and I was never created. That Max wouldn't have to 'suffer' with me around…**_ He thought and grimaced a little.

"Aha… I see I struck a nerve in the blank faced wonder." She smirked and he came back to the present.

"Anything you say strikes a nerve Max…" he replied and let his wins out again. "I'm going back. You can fly back on your own since you want to be alone right now." He said and backed away from her towards the edge, and right as he turned around to lift off she caught his arm.

"Just because I choose to be nasty to you doesn't mean I don't have a soft spot somewhere." She smirked and he looked at her, his face blank as always when she got like this a thousands of scenarios running through his head. "Somewhere deep, deep, DEEP, like way WAY deep down inside, I do like you." She admitted and this time he showed emotion- a bit of shock. "But tell the flock and I will punch you. I swear on my two wings." She said and kicked off before him, heading back home and stopping to turn around and looked at him. "Well- you coming?" she asked and groaned when he didn't answer.

"Well, I guess I don't want to live in a cave for a while so yes, I'm coming." He said and kicked off as well, coming up beside her and glanced over, hoping she wouldn't notice since she was staring straight ahead of them.

"Stop looking at me." She snapped and he dropped his gaze. "I hate that." She mumbled after and his face got red.

"S-sorry Max." he said and she sighed.

"Quit pouting Dylan! Grow up- for the flock, and if not for them then for me." She said, grimacing horribly- the words like acid being poured on her tongue and down her throat. She hoped to never say them again in her lifetime, however long that will be… But she knew that sometime, or most of the time, she'd be saying that a lot.


End file.
